Major visa changes in Southeast Asia as tourism race heats up

Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines have relaxed visa policies to attract foreign tourists amid fierce regional competition. Vietnam Starting March 1 Vietnam waived visas for tourists from Poland, Czechia and Switzerland coming on package tours for up to 45 days. In mid-March the government also decided to extend visa exemptions until 2028 for citizens of 12 countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the U.K. The waiver had expired on March 15. Travelers from 13 other countries - Belarus, Chile, Panama, Kyrgystan and 9 Southeast Asian neighbors - are enjoying visa exemptions for between 14 and 90 days. Malaysia Malaysia recently announced that its visa exemption for Chinese travelers would be extended for another five years, with the option to extend it for an additional five years, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said. This means Chinese citizens can visit Malaysia visa-free until Dec. 31, 2036. The p...